Advances in sampling technologies for wastewater-based epidemiology

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a concept where through influent the collective urine of a whole community can be assessed, and supply us with valuable information about chemical exposure, lifestyle, public health and wellbeing. Currently, wastewater based surveillance programs rely on well-established infrastructure and resources required for sampling, provided by the wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). This requirement may limit the extension of monitoring programs into rural communities, where resources such as lack of existing on-site autosamplers, staff availability issues, and lack of or inconsistent on-site electricity may prevent participation. This project aims to develop and assess the applicability of sampling technologies such as passive samplers to be used for WBE.

Rory completed his Bachelor of Applied Science with a main field of study Biology and Medical laboratory research, and a specialisation in Zoology in 2015 at the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. He holds a Master Biomedical Sciences, programme Toxicology and Environmental Health from the University of Utrecht, for which he undertook his 6-month research project at QAEHS on calibrating passive samplers to measure UV-Filters in the aquatic environment. Rory’s PhD will focus on the development of passive samplers which are used for wastewater based epidemiology, to measure chemical exposure in remote areas.  

Please note this is a PhD student mid-candidature review.